Vaccination Week in the Americas 2026: Final Report

Lesson learned: Early and coordinated participation by ministries of health and education, local governments, civil society, the private sector, and international organizations amplifies the reach of vaccination activities and improves resource mobilization. Joint planning facilitates faster and more efficient responses to operational challenges.

Lesson learned: Evidence-based communication campaigns, supported by trusted spokespersons, content creators, and messages tailored to different audiences, are essential to strengthening confidence in vaccines and countering misinformation in digital and community settings.

Lesson learned: Linking immunization activities with the Elimination Initiative helped highlight the strategic role of vaccines in preventing multiple diseases, promoting a more integrated public health approach and greater alignment of regional objectives.

Lesson learned: Identifying and prioritizing communities with low vaccination coverage, together with targeted active case-finding and outreach vaccination strategies, proved essential for catching up on delayed vaccination schedules and reducing inequities in access to vaccination.

Lesson learned: Strengthened epidemiological surveillance, combined with timely vaccination campaigns and risk communication on measles, confirmed that advance preparedness is key to preventing outbreaks and maintaining the elimination gains achieved by the Region.

Lesson learned: The use of digital tools for monitoring, data visualization, and analysis enabled faster and more accurate decision-making, facilitating the identification of coverage gaps and monitoring the performance of vaccination activities.

Lesson learned: Continuous training of health workers in immunization, surveillance, risk communication, and the management of new vaccines improves the quality of services and strengthens the capacity to respond to health emergencies and outbreaks.

Lesson learned: Communities are essential partners in the success of vaccination campaigns. The participation of community leaders, local organizations, and volunteer networks helps increase vaccine acceptance and reach populations that are difficult to access.

Lesson learned: Culturally adapted strategies and collaboration with Indigenous and community leaders promote equitable access to vaccination, strengthen confidence in health services, and help reduce geographic, cultural, and linguistic barriers.

Lesson learned: Partnerships with donors, international organizations, and private-sector stakeholders expand financing and visibility opportunities, contributing to the sustainability of immunization activities beyond the annual campaign.

Lesson learned: Regional launches generate media attention, strengthen high-level political commitment, and create opportunities to position immunization as a public health priority, while also highlighting good practices and successful experiences from the host country.